8 Attractive Plants For A Beautiful Fall Garden
As summer turns to fall we can enjoy the poetry of leaves turning and seed heads developing. It may feel as though the best of the garden is behind us, but there are many plants just hitting their stride. Here are some to plant now (or next spring!) that will shine in your autumn garden.
Plants attractive in autumn
Maidenhair tree
This is a beautiful yet tough tree with pretty fan-shaped leaves that turn brilliant gold in fall. It’s one of the last prehistoric trees and can be seen in fossils that pre-date dinosaurs. Hardy in zones 2-8.
Toad lillies
These perennial pink- or purple-speckled beauties are remarkable in a fall garden. They prefer shade and moist, rich soil. Hardy to zone 4.
Callicarpa
This deer-resistant shrub produces clusters of gorgeous purple berries in fall. Even after its leaves drop, the berries remain a striking shade. Hardy in zones 6-8.
Serviceberry
Also called Saskatoon berry or June berry, this native tree has a lot to offer: white flowers in spring, delicious edible berries in early summer and colourful foliage in fall. It’s also easy to care for and there are many varieties. Choose one that is hardy in your area.
Japanese Anemone
Produces delicate single or double flowers in white, pale pink or purple. Beautiful in the fall garden and adaptable to some shade and a variety of soils. Keep in mind that these will spread — but if you love them, it’s a bonus! Hardy to zone 4.
Dahlias
September is an amazing month for dahlias. As the weather cools their colours get richer. Cutting the flowers when fully open or simply removing the dead blooms will keep the flowers coming. In most of the country the tubers will need to be dug and stored over the winter or purchased each spring. Hardy through the winter in zones 8-10.
Autumn crocus
This perennial is not actually a crocus — it’s from the lily family. Plant in late August through September and they will bloom soon after in white, purple or soft pink, which blends beautifully with the autumn palette. Hardy to zone 5.
Hydrangea
Limelight hydrangea is a gorgeous variety which will only get better as autumn approaches. The flowers start as pale limey green, then turn creamy and then pink. If picked at this point, they will last indoors all winter. Hardy to zone 3.
This article was originally published in August 2016 and updated in August 2017.
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